Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $970 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,438 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,907 in Sandakan, Sabah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 42% more expensive than in Sandakan, Sabah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Sandakan, Sabah is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.79 MYR 15.42

-12.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$20.12 MYR 81.8

78.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$4.90 MYR 19.91

14.90%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.99 MYR 12.18

-5.69%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.80 MYR 3.25

118.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.42 MYR 1.73

90.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$3.69 MYR 15.00

-17.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.47 MYR 18.18

-3.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.86 MYR 7.56

-13.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.05 MYR 4.27

116.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.52 MYR 6.18

-23.03%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.89 MYR 7.68

14.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$13.56 MYR 55.2

30.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.33 MYR 17.61

-6.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$9.96 MYR 40.53

22.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.27 MYR 13.28

10.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.77 MYR 7.20

-7.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.43 MYR 9.88

-4.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.62 MYR 6.59

20.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.33 MYR 5.41

38.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.19 MYR 4.86

99.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.20 MYR 4.90

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.57 MYR 2.33

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.51 MYR 18.36

-49.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$19.18 MYR 78.0

20.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$3.03 MYR 12.31

-22.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$3.74 MYR 15.22

-17.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.77 MYR 3.13

-67.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$12.63 MYR 51.4

-25.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.26 MYR 5.13

-61.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.48 MYR 1.94

-2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$7.47 MYR 30.37

-25.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.73 MYR 2.97

10.96%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$43.0K MYR 175.0K

-41.86%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$35.1K MYR 142.7K

-11.43%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$49.67 MYR 202

66.54%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$9.87 MYR 40.13

-34.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$28.51 MYR 116

-34.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$41.59 MYR 169

32.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$6.59 MYR 26.80

176.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.92 MYR 20.00

-12.60%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$494 Rp 8.7M

$176 MYR 715

181.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$5,019 MYR 20.4K

17.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$61.3 MYR 250

-24.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$34.64 MYR 141

5.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$80.9 MYR 329

-0.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$69.9 MYR 284

12.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$423 MYR 1,720

163.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$336 MYR 1,366

106.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$709 MYR 2,886

412.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$497 MYR 2,023

244.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,034 MYR 8,274

35.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,142 MYR 4,644

100.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$1,246 MYR 5,068

-86.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.2

228.10%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Sandakan, Sabah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $423 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sandakan, Sabah pays 646% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $20.00 in Sandakan, Sabah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $259 per month, with Sandakan, Sabah cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ubud, Bali vs Sandakan, Sabah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $970 including rent). Sandakan, Sabah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 646% lower in Sandakan, Sabah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $423 in Sandakan, Sabah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sandakan, Sabah runs roughly 34% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $176 in Sandakan, Sabah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $970 in Sandakan, Sabah versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sandakan, Sabah but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sandakan, Sabah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Sandakan, Sabah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sandakan, Sabah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.